3rd Quarter Report

Down ten at the end of the second quarter, the Suns now have the lead. They have jumped out to a 92-91 lead against the Mavericks. The finale is shaping up to be a lot like these teams' last head-to-head, which was decided by just four points.

If the Suns keep playing like this, they'll bump their record up to 15-14 in no time. On the other hand, the Mavericks will have to make due with a 17-13 record unless they turn things around (and fast).

Who's Playing

Dallas Mavericks @ Phoenix Suns

Current Records: Dallas 17-12, Phoenix 14-14

How To Watch

  • When: Monday, December 25, 2023 at 10:30 p.m. ET
  • Where: Footprint Center -- Phoenix, Arizona
  • TV: ESPN
  • Follow: CBS Sports App
  • Online streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
  • Ticket Cost: $105.00

What to Know

After two games on the road, the Suns are heading back home. They will finish 2023 at home by hosting the Dallas Mavericks at 10:30 p.m. ET on Monday at Footprint Center.

The Suns and the Kings couldn't quite live up to the 244.5-over/under that the experts had forecasted. The contest between the two teams on Friday wasn't a total blowout, but with Phoenix falling 120-105 on the road it was darn close to turning into one. They have struggled against the Kings recently, as their game on Friday was their fourth consecutive lost matchup.

The Suns struggled to work together and finished the game with only 19 assists. They were dismantled by their opponents in that department as the Kings racked up 32 assists.

The Mavericks can finally bid farewell to their three-game losing streak thanks to their game on Saturday. They were the clear victor by a 144-119 margin over San Antonio. With that victory, the Mavericks brought their scoring average up to 119 points per game.

Luka Doncic was the offensive standout of the matchup as he dropped a triple-double on 39 points, 12 rebounds, and ten assists. He is on a roll when it comes to rebounds, as he's now pulled down ten or more in the last four games he's played.

Phoenix's loss was their fourth straight on the road, which bumped their record down to 14-14. That poor showing could be blamed on the team's lackluster offensive performance across that stretch, as they only averaged 104.3 points per game. As for Dallas, their victory bumped their record up to 17-12.

Going forward, the Suns are the favorite in this one, as the experts expect to see them win by 4.5 points. Bettors picking them against the spread have some confidence (to put it mildly), as the team is sitting on a six-game streak of failing to cover when expected to win.

The Suns didn't have too much breathing room in their game against the Mavericks in their previous matchup back in March, but they still walked away with a 130-126 win. Will the Suns repeat their success, or do the Mavericks have a better game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.

Odds

Phoenix is a 4.5-point favorite against Dallas, according to the latest NBA odds.

The oddsmakers had a good feel for the line for this one, as the game opened with the Suns as a 4-point favorite.


The over/under is set at 237 points.

See NBA picks for every single game, including this one, from SportsLine's advanced computer model. Get picks now.

Series History

Dallas has won 6 out of their last 10 games against Phoenix.

  • Mar 05, 2023 - Phoenix 130 vs. Dallas 126
  • Jan 26, 2023 - Dallas 99 vs. Phoenix 95
  • Dec 05, 2022 - Dallas 130 vs. Phoenix 111
  • Oct 19, 2022 - Phoenix 107 vs. Dallas 105
  • May 15, 2022 - Dallas 123 vs. Phoenix 90
  • May 12, 2022 - Dallas 113 vs. Phoenix 86
  • May 10, 2022 - Phoenix 110 vs. Dallas 80
  • May 08, 2022 - Dallas 111 vs. Phoenix 101
  • May 06, 2022 - Dallas 103 vs. Phoenix 94
  • May 04, 2022 - Phoenix 129 vs. Dallas 109